Four days before the All-Star Game returns to Orlando 20 years after his unforgettable MVP performance there, Hall of Famer Magic Johnson was asked Wednesday generally about the impressive state of point guards these days and specifically about rookies Ricky Rubio and Kyrie Irving.
Irving, the first pick in last year's NBA draft, has led Cleveland to a 13-17 start with his speed and scoring. His 18.6 points per game leads all rookies and he's shooting 43.6 percent from three-point range.
Rubio -- drafted fifth in 2009, but new to the NBA this season -- is second in the league in steals (2.36) and leads all rookies in assists (8.6) a game. Irving is a distant second at 4.9 and minutes played (34.9) and averages 11.5 a game.
One of the two is going to be Rookie of the Year.
Johnson picks Irving.